


The one where it works halfway (and not in a good way)

by orphan_account



Series: The various complications of magic [5]
Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2014-11-19
Packaged: 2018-02-25 20:08:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lewis fears it'll just go more downhill from here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The one where it works halfway (and not in a good way)

**Author's Note:**

> Please read Consequence to get the full story behind this.

It doesn't work. He draws the circles and says the words but something is wrong. Lewis' heart beats but it does nothing beyond that meanwhile Arthur's body deteriorates from the inside out. He opens the book and flips through it frantically but it starts to - to liquefy. Ink falling off the book like tear drops and the cover foaming in his hand, dropping to the floor and staining the perfect circle he's traced in the van's window, on the dinner table, with his eyes and with his fingers, murmuring the incantation between bumps in the road and bites of food.

"Help!" He shouts, because he could feel - or couldn't feel his legs. There's pounding on the door but he remembers - and fucking what kind of idiot was he? - remembers locking the door so he wouldn't be interrupted.

He watches as the book, along with his letter turns to black gunk that splatters on the floor. He watches as his body slowly disintegrates, goes somewhere beyond this realm. He watches as Lewis' locket beats and beats, turning a worrying blue. He feels nothing physically. He feels panic everywhere.

When they get the door open - when Lewis finally floats through - it is to something evaporating into thin air, it is to black charcoal and white chalk and unremovable stains on the floorboard. It is to a single metal arm laying crooked in the middle of a tar-like substance and a blue heart beating to the tune of a requiem.

They search for Arthur for hours, going around the house in madness. They take pictures of the strange markings not covered in unidentifiable liquid, trying to figure out what happened. If there was a struggle, if someone kidnapped Arthur, if...

They find nothing. They take samples of the black gunk, numerous amounts of ink among other small traces of supernatural things. They go mad trying to solve the mystery, travel to bookstores selling ancient text and rituals. They blame themselves individually, Arthur had been acting weird the past few months, leaving at every opportunity, hogging the laptop but they didn't question it. Why didn't they question it?

Mystery offers the possibility of the spirit from the caves, still inhabiting Arthur's body and driving him insane, causing him to try to do an exorcism gone wrong. Vivi thinks it's one of their foes come back to haunt them. A revenge plot. They all specifically avoid the topic of self-infliction just like they try to walk around the sight of Lewis' locket surrounded by runes. Lewis tries not to think too hard about it. Tries to communicate with Arthur from beyond the grave. "Why? What happened? Was it the spirit from the caves or something else?"

His attempts fall flat. Wherever Arthur is it's a place where a regular ghost can not reach. When the time finally comes, when they need to move on, they bury the metal arm next to Lewis' own grave. It's not proper but it's all they have left of the boy they all loved as a friend.

After that it's as if no one can be trusted by themselves. There's always this paranoia. A case of, 'If you leave my sight will you still be there?' Not a good thing when they need to split up. When they need to give each other space but can't. The Mystery Skulls gang goes on but it's not the same. Lewis fears it'll just go more downhill from here.

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd because I've learned that I'm the most impatient person ever.


End file.
